Deciding if You Need a Contract

Onboarding Influencers

Overview

Skipping a contract feels faster — until a creator misses the deadline, posts without your approved disclosure, or deletes the content after 30 days when you assumed you had usage rights forever. The question isn't whether to protect yourself; it's how much paperwork the deal actually warrants.

The Short Answer: Almost Always, But Scale It

A contract isn't about distrust. It's about both sides knowing exactly what was agreed when memories fade. Scale the formality to the size and risk of the deal:

Why the Email Isn't Always Enough

The three things that go wrong most often all come from a handshake deal:

Missed deadlines. Nothing holds the creator to a posting window.
Wrong or missing disclosure. The brand — not just the creator — is liable for an undisclosed paid post.
Usage rights you assumed you had. Without a written term, you may not be able to run their content as an ad, and the creator can delete it whenever they like.

A one-page agreement prevents all three, and it takes minutes once you have a reusable template.

💡 If money changes hands or you plan to run the content as a paid ad, default to a signed contract. Reserve the email-only route for simple gifting.

⚠️ Nothing here is legal advice. These are practical guidelines — for anything high-value or unusual, have counsel review your terms.

Decided you need one? The next step is to use a reusable template so you're not drafting from scratch every time. Continue to Using a Reusable Contract.

Want a second set of eyes on deciding if you need a contract?Get Expert Help